


To Get Back Home

by myidiotclintbarton



Category: DCU (Comics), Smallville, Superboy (Comics), Superman (Comics)
Genre: Conner Kent centric, Domestic, Family, Gen, Krypto is a good boy, Mentions of Lex Luthor - Freeform, Timeline What Timeline, Wholesome, conner needs some stability in his life, just getting my feelings out, kara is there because i want her to be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 18:18:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17667677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myidiotclintbarton/pseuds/myidiotclintbarton
Summary: Conner watches the Kansas landscapes as Clark drives them home. A place where a family is waiting to welcome them back. (One Shot)





	To Get Back Home

**Author's Note:**

> (Written after I watched that one Smallville episode with Kon in it. I watched it in like 2015 because there wasn’t any other Content left to indulge in. I’m very opinionated about my boy. He deserves a good homelife.)  
> Lol the first Superboy fanfic I post isn’t even based on the New Earth timeline in the comics like the rest of mine are (to be fair more of them are fusions).This is one of my many writings that sits half finished for quite some time before I force myself to finish it. I just needed some mundane happy thing to write. Just something wholesome.  
> Krypto is Shelby, I went with the good dog’s comic book name, sue me.  
> Also Superboy got the name Kon-El before Conner Kent in the comics and that’s what I know the best so that’s why I usually use that one. I compromised by Conner’s nickname in this smol fic being ‘Con’ for short.  
> Also timeline? What fucking timeline? Kinda takes place after the whole Conner high on Red K fiasco in Smallville. Not gonna lie most things i’ve written are about this boy, I just haven't posted them (cause most be like unfinished).  
> Originally titled “As Corn Fields Pass Us By”  
> Playlist I used while making this:  
>  **No Angels** by Bastille  
>  **Emmylou** by First Aid Kit  
>  **Stay Gold** by First Aid Kit  
>  **Meet Me in the Woods** by Lord Huron  
>  **No Angels** by Bastille  
>  **Yellow Light** by Of Monsters and Men  
>  **Offering** by Black City Lights  
>  **When I Grow Up** by First Aid Kit

They passed a few small towns but acres and acres past them with no discernible difference. Just farmland and grazing animals. It could have been excruciatingly boring but it was the most peaceful thing Conner had experienced in a while. It was just nice to have Clark be there next to him and for them not be in a fight with a lunatic of some sorts. To not be alone. His loose grip on his backpacks handle something worn enough to look old but not enough to be broken tightened ever so slightly. His shame was hard to swallow

There were seemingly thousands upon thousands of rows filled with green stalk reaching their arms to the sky for nutrients that strobed by his view. That need for the radiation, that yellow sun’s light energy, he understood well. He tilted his head up a bit, able to see the sun climbing its way down the orange sky to welcome the night in about an hour. 

They drove into town but his eyes were averted from the road. Conner was sitting on the passenger side, taking in the breeze of momentum swam through his ebony locks. He rolled down glass barriers with the hand crank that this truck was old enough to have. Crossing his arms on that windowsill he watched, cheek slumped on his covered forearm leisurely taking in the sights. Spring based cushions were not doing much to quell the movements. It was soft enough for him to know that it was fine for him to slump on despite the deep seeded second nature of being careful with everything. He had no desire to break anything else if he could help it. But Clark was helping him on that front. Helping him with learning to navigate this cardboard world with the powers they had. 

Clark kept one arm on the steering wheel the other propped up on his elbow to rest on the rolled down window frame, bobbing against it in tandem with the gravel bumps in little uneven tires spinning willing them forward on the well beaten path. His absent upturn of the lips dwelled as he kept his eyes on that dusty country road through and smudged front window much in need of a wash. He wasn't all this sure about the move but he'd live. He’d been through worse and got out practically unscathed with only the occasional nighterror to remind him of the pain. He was sullen mostly over how unexpected it had been. But at least he was still living with Clark. He was thankful for that.

_“But he was a bad man.”_

_“And you’re not him.”_

_“But I was.” He still had almost-memories now and again. He hated them._

_Clark shook his head to dispel those words. Conner figured that if half of him didn't come from clark, if he hadn’t been made like him in the most improbable way, that the hands clasping around his would be crushed. He realized that his well-being mattered to Clark. Really mattered. He was worried and didn't want anything bad to happen to his newfound family._

_“No, not really. Listen to me, Conner. You’re not Lex. You are your own person. Nothing will change that. No matter how much they try. You had the potential to become like that at one point, but not anymore. You won't be forced to become that, you didn’t chose to be last time. There's a difference. I know now you won't be. You have a good heart, I can see that. You aren’t corrupted like that. You are your own person, free to become whomever you want to be on your terms. Sharing blood with someone certainly doesn’t doom you.” Clark had looked like he had believed every word he said. Like he was desperate for Conner to believe that, to have faith in himself._

You don’t have to be him, _were the words left unsaid. Clark must have been able to sense Conner was unsure of his words because he had continued with,_

_“I’ll always be here for you, Conner.” Tears had filled his eyes and he had cried in front of Clark. It hadn’t been as bad as he thought it would be to admit weakness to the strongest man on earth, the man he looked up to the most. It was almost therapeutic in a way or cathartic, as Chloe had said. So Conner had listened and entrusted Clark with his life and well-being._

_So far he hadn’t been let down since._

Curling around a corner, the rusted metal wheezed and groaned chipped red paint reflected the golden rays of the sun. Fence posts lining those property separations down the long path towards the horizon speed past them. The western set light on the rested on the passage on the landscape, laying out hues of deep rich golds and reds on the farmlands gave him a sense of comfort. 

Conner caught his own blue eyes in the rear view mirror, his hair was so disheveled by the drive with the window rolled down that Grandma Martha would probably part with a gentle motherly touch once they got into the farmhouse. It was a long stretched gravel road back to the house. Rubber tires grinded on gravel dry dirt and occasional turf, having not seen assfault for a good portion of the ride. 

Ma was waiting for them. Even from this distance, Kon could see her eyes warm along with her smile, both showing her graceful age. She waved from her spot on the porch to welcome them, comfortable in the late afternoon summer air. Lois had just exited the house to join her mother in law to watch the Kent boys arrive. She too was smiling something both smooth and knowing as she crossed her arms. The boy then heard a playful and happy bark from the healthy farm dog that had gotten up from his nap besides her, wagging his tail knowing what the sound of the engine growing closer meant. 

The truck came to a halt and Clark easily shifted it into park. Conner was still strung up with his own thoughts before he managed to glance over to Clark who caught his eyes with his own earthy green ones. The older Kent next to him smiled and the smallest bit of wrinkles showed at the edge of his eyes. It’s something that silently shows his acceptance of Conner as family. It helps him remember someone cares for him despite it all. He’s never seen Clark look at him with loathing or distrust and he hopes he never has to.

“Okay, Con. Are you awake? We’re home.” Clark’s reached his hand over to ruffle his ‘brother’s’ hair enough to be playful and just a tad annoying before exiting the vehicle from the driver’s side.

Conner fused with his hair for a moment, combing it back into a proper shape before he unbuckled his seatbelt. The almost-teen clutched the passenger door handle but didn't open it just yet. He looked over the newly tended fields on one side, grazing cows on the other. He looked at the orange and pink sky turning in on itself to a darker horizon. His view of the yellow farmhouse was unobstructed. His mind wondered as it was prone to do and Conner was struck with a thought. How lucky he was to be here, to have a family. Out of all of the experiments, the throw away clones, he was the one granted a life outside of the horrors. He was unbelievably lucky. Why was it him that was allowed to live?

He was shaken from furthering his line of thinking by Lois’s shout his way as well as picking up on Martha and Clark’s chuckles.

“Conner! Get your sorry teenage butt in here. Dinner’s waiting.”

He didn't even mind the loud reporter’s blunt address as he had started to feel hungry a thirty minutes out of Smallville. Now Conner could smell something lightly seasoned and baked to perfection. Ma’s homecooked meal’s beat Big Belly Burger any day. He was glad he had gotten through that rough patch with Lois after the whole Red K fiasco, she was nice, a rude kind of nice. She called him ‘kid’ and ‘twerp’ and he somehow didn't even mind.

The new Kent boy opened the squeaky truck door, hinges in deep need of some WD-40, and pushed off of his seat. He landed less easily, feeling the gravel covered ground beneath the thin soles of his shoes. Conner quickly grabbed his already worn backpack before slamming the door closed.

Quickly enough, the clone boy felt Krypto bump into his legs as he sniffed the boy’s shoes before the superdog jumped up too try and lick his face. Conner let out an involuntary giggle at the slobbering hound deciding the good boy deserved a good scratch behind those floppy ears. He didn’t take too long with his loyal canine companion, knowing he was just as hungry as everyone else. Conner gave the pooch one last boop on the front of his snout before straightening up and making his way onto the porch, joining his family as Krypto followed suit.

Clark’s arm casually reached over to rest on his shoulders, sheltering him as they made their way inside the familiar yellow farmhouse. The familiar smell of baked goods wafting out into the air was even better in the kitchen. He felt a few pats on his head, looking up to see his cousin Kara in her farmhand clothes having obviously just gotten in from outside as well. 

Conner perked up at her appearance. She had, after all, recently offered to help him learn Kryptonese now that she found out she had another little cousin tucked away in obscure-ville, Kansas. She had been a comforting presence, and he was glad that she had decided to stay with the at the Kent farm for a good while. He liked having her around for the most part, though she could be a bit annoying, not bad, just playfully treating him like he was her younger brother or something.

Kara wasn’t constantly annoying and he guessed that counted for something.

“Hey, cuz. It’s good to see you,” the blonde smirked his way. She stepped closer to him to give him a quick side hug and then, of course, messed his hair up.

“Ew, gross. Your hands probably got so much dirt and stuff on them,” the Krypto-sapien hybrid cringed away while swatting at his cousins hands.

“You bet they do,” she stated with a little too much joy in her expression, attempting to get close enough to run her unclean hands into his hair.

“Stop it. You’re so weird. Go bother someone else,” the clone boy protested.

“But it's so fun to annoy you. And easy too.” Conner just glared, definitely not pouting, at his older cousin, hands tucked and folded defensively. The super woman just chuckled to herself, patting him on the shoulder, ignore him trying to playfully shrug her away.

This just caused her to snicker again before directing her voice at Martha who had just wondered into their view. “Aunt Martha, I’m going to go change and wash my hands before dinner. I’ll only be a moment.” Ma nodded at her family’s resident blonde,

“Of course, sweetie.” And with a gush of wind, the elder Kryptonian was gone, probably now upstairs by the sound of it. 

Conner had to spend a few moments trying to flatten his misshapen, whirlwind of hair, grumbling a bit to himself about the annoying Supers in his family.

“I thought that could never get old,” Lois spoke up, sending a puff of air to move her bangs from her eyes, having seen Kara run off as she carried a dish to the table. “I’m lack being impressed. Now I’m just marginally annoyed,” the reporter finished up her observation dryly as she set the plate of cooked corn on the dining table. Conner followed into the adjacent kitchen to place his bag down on one of the side tables.

Clark, who had appeared beside Lois, playfully blew a breath on her right ear, causing the better half of the Lois-Clark journalism team to jump and retaliate with two oven mitted hands slapping his chest. Ma clearly couldn’t find it in her to scold the two, preoccupied with her own chuckles amongst the muffled sounding punches that were truly doing no harm.

“Jeez, Smallville, how old are you? You’re setting a bad example for the kid?” She gestured with a still mitted hand Conner’s way.

“Oh, he’ll be fine, Lois,” Martha replies on his behalf. The eldest Kent turned to her newest foundling, a smile true and proud as she put her hands on his shoulders to get a good look at him.

“Conner, you know it's always a delight to have you back.” He felt his ears burn at the attention. Martha took pity on him and broke eye contact only to bring him into a hug. She was soft and he then remembered to be gentle with humans and he barely returned the hug. He thought she might be offended but her welcoming smile after parting the embrace testified otherwise.

“Now, no growing boy in my house is going unfed. How much did you eat today, honey?” Conner tried his best to think back and find an answer for his Mom/Grandma.

“I donno. Maybe a breakfast burrito in the morning?” Martha turned an exasperated gaze back at Clark who shrugged innocently. “Well, we can’t have that, can we? You know, when Clark was your age, he nearly ate us out of house and home.”

“Ma, please.”

“It’s true, Clark. I swear you lot have black holes for stomachs.” That got a snort out of Lois who was standing oh so casual, as if she hadn't just slapped Clark’s stomach with a hand towel to get back at him.

“I believe it,” commented Lois sipping on her ginger ale.

Martha fussed over him for a bit more before guiding him to the table, one he had a seat at. He thanked her as she handed him a plate, telling him to eat as much as he wanted, he just had to make sure everyone got some before he got seconds. Lois made a noise in agreement with the statement as she took her place at the table followed by Clark holding a pitcher of lemonade.

Kara manage to finally make her way to the food, taking her place next to Conner and easily swiping a roll of freshly made bread from a bowl on the table. The native Kryptonian did however stop herself to check with Ma all while delicately placing the roll on her plate.

“Sorry, I forgot. Am I allowed to eat now?”

“Oh, it's no trouble, sweetie. It's not a big deal, Kara, dear. Dig in. You’ve been out in the fields all day. One’s bound to forget something when they are famished.”

And with that, members of the small town family began serving themselves some supper, hands passing bowls to one another, Martha feeling the need to serve each member a good serving of her mashed potatoes himself. Smalltalk passed between them easily within the warm dining room, a dog under the table not quite begging for table scraps but was clearly not going to say no to them.

Conner looked around to everything around him, at all the people gathered here. It was all much more than he thought he deserved, a cruel voice whispered to him. He shook off that echoing thought.

This was his home, a place he could belong with people who understood and accepted him. For Conner, that was far more than he ever thought possible. These people called him family and they were his family too.

Conner let his lips curl upwards as he thought to himself that there was nowhere he’d rather be than here. He was in a better place and in better hands.

“Now make sure to save some room for pie, Con,” Clark spoke over mixing himself some salad that someone insisted on bringing. Conner was already on his second helping of meatloaf by the time he looked up.

The boy craned his neck back, nearly tilting his chair over in order to the view kitchen, a freshly baked pie was visible from his precarious vantage point. Martha had ingeniously thought ahead and had it safely tucked in the now off oven to keep warm and out of reach of a certain Superdog.

That point was obvious. This place was _way_ better.

**Author's Note:**

> This was one of the first things I ever got started writing on for fanfiction way back in 2015. I think this might have been the second one I ever started writing. I just fixed it up recently though Not my normal stuff obviously.  
> I am doing well. Thank you all so much for your well wishes for me. I can walk with ease again, no crutches or wheelchair anymore! I was just way too busy to write or post. My schedule was bananas and stressful as all hell. Also sorry all my marvel Stans I’m on a dc kick right now. And by dc kick I mean Kon-El and only Kon-El. I’ll come back around. I always do.  
> This is one of my least ambitious Superboy fanfics I wrote so that's why I felt comfortable finishing it up and posting it


End file.
